Lifetime of Lies
by BlackTeaInBuckets
Summary: Tony has done a lot of stupid things in his life and it is not always just him who pays for it. This time he had no idea who will pay the highest price but how could one small spell have changed so much? This was not supposed to happen. Though Tony can only blame himself for it. Post-Avengers, Tony/Loki
1. Chapter 1

"So this book..."

"Yes?"

"A magic book."

"Most certainly."

"A book _of_ magic."

A sigh. "Yes, as far as I can tell. It is very similar to some of the tomes I saw in Asgard's libraries, albeit the language seems to be slightly different."

Tony snorts at that. "Sorry, big guy," he gives an apologetic smile,"but you don't really look like someone who would stick their nose in a book."

The frown that has previously developed on Thor's face disappears. "You are right, my friend, my interest has never laid in written word. But... my brother is and has always been fond of books so sometimes when I wanted to find him the best place to search was the library or his chambers but those could be almost called libraries as well." A look of nostalgia creeps onto the god's face as he starts on the subject of his crazy brother which alone is enough to make Tony quite uncomfortable.

Ok, time to cut the emotional crap before it gets out of hand.

"So... back to the topic. The book. The one full of some magic-mojo."

The book, right. It is still kind of mysterious. Yesterday Thor came back to Earth with some rather unpleasant news. Loki had escaped his custody and apparently a guy named Hansel or something had seen him return to the blue planet. Why hadn't the guy, who's supposed to be all-seeing, seen the crazy fucker escape that Tony still doesn't know but he damn well plans to get some answers out of Thor though that could wait yesterday and it can still wait. Yesterday after hearing the news Tony rather happily (which was totally inappropriate considering the situation but as if he cared) offered to try out his new invention and track Loki down using the trickster's own magic for that. Honestly he didn't know if it would work but it did, kind of. Only it didn't track down Loki. It lit up almost instantly and located a strong magic source. On Iceland. So they all got suited up and set off for a small trip expecting to find Loki and arrest him but instead they found a book, a big-ass, old book buried in some dungeon and no Loki. But they didn't come home with nothing, they had a tome that radiated magic like fucking Hogwarts. And Tony has been itching to poke at it a bit since they found it.

The small problem that he doesn't understand a word from what's written in it can be easily solved because Thor obviously understands it just fine though Tony stops himself in time before he asks the god to translate a whole fucking book for him. That would be a bit too much he thinks. He will give it to JARVIS and see what the AI can do about it and then if there are any gaps he will have Thor help him with it. Sounds like a good plan and when he presents it to Thor he luckily agrees. Well, Tony would probably convince him even if he didn't agree right away but this saves him the trouble.

When the thunder-god leaves Tony turns to the book and runs a hand over its black cover.

"JARVIS, scan this for me and then translate it. Tell me when it's done."

"Yes, sir. Would you like me to play some music?"

"Oh, you know me too well, darling," Tony says with a smirk.

"May I suggest you wouldn't call me that in front of Miss Potts?"

"You know I wouldn't!" A fake wounded expression appears on the inventor's face as he opens the book on the first page.

"One can never be too careful, sir."

* * *

It took JARVIS whole two days to complete the translation of the six hundred and forty seven pages and ever since then Tony has been closed in his workshop not coming out even to eat and it has already been five more days. Not that he has noticed.

Tony runs a hand through his hair in frustration and curses whoever wrote the damn thing for approximately one thousand two hundred and ninety fourth time. Two times for a page in average. It probably wasn't one person too as the difference in age of the ink on the first and the last page is more than a hundred years. But no matter who actually wrote the book they were either really adamant that no 'Muggle' can use it or even understand what the spells in it are intended for or they were just plainly stupid. Because yes, the instructions are very clear as are the lists of ingredients but with all of the things described in the book there's no information about what they actually do. And for absolute majority of them you actually have to be some sort of mage or sorcerer or whatever to perform those. Tony is pretty sure he is no magician. Which leaves him with exactly one spell he can perform and three potions he can prepare and that is just sad considering he has no idea what those are meant for.

But he is not giving up, he is genius after all so some stupid book will not defeat him.

He has a nagging feeling that he's still missing something important. Who would write a book of magic and not include the purpose of the spells in it? That doesn't make sense. They would have had to remember it all and 'they' were not only one person because not only the age of the ink in the book is different but there are several handwritings as well. Could all those people know all the effects of all the spells and potions in the book? Possibly yes but in that case they would have probably remembered the steps and ingredients as well, they wouldn't have needed the book. And if those were just personal notes they wouldn't be so organised. Clear step by step instructions and no description of the effects.

Maybe the descriptions are there and he just can't see them. It sounds like a good possibility, Tony thinks as he tips his head back and stares at the ceiling. Like an invisible ink but magically upgraded. The book itself is somehow enchanted, if it hadn't been they wouldn't have found it in the first place, he just doesn't know what the purpose of it is. Why couldn't hiding part of the text be that purpose? He looks over the pages and there's always some space left blank. So how does he make it visible?

Magic. Just another form of energy. Tony can work with energy, it's just physics. Transport of energy, waves, interference, destructive-

A knock on the glass door of his workshop cuts off his trail of thought and makes Tony look away from the ceiling.

"Pepper!" Tony smiles brightly and swirls his chair to face his CEO just as the door slides shut behind her.

"Do you have any idea how long have you been locked in here?" Pepper asks instead of greeting him. She has her 'scolding' face which makes Tony feel just a bit guilty.

"Too long away from you, baby..?"

"Cheesy."

"I've been working. You know how I get." It is a weak excuse and he knows that but it really wasn't his intention to worry her.

She sighs. "Of course I know but have you been at least eating? Or sleeping? Because it's been five days, Tony."

"Already?"

Pepper gives him an unimpressed look.

"Ok, ok, I know. But don't worry, I can take care of myself."

"I'm not so sure."

He fakes a wounded look which finally makes her lips quirk. Good. "So what about I get out of here and we can go have a...," he looks at the clock on the wall,"dinner?"

"That sounds good." She smiles. "But I have paperwork for you to do and we need to discuss some pressing matters regarding the company."

Tony stands up and sighs. "You know that I completely trust you with the company?"

"You still have to know about what's going on there."

Tony is not going to argue with her though he thinks he really doesn't have to when Pepper is the one who runs the company. Instead he just sighs dramatically. "The work's so demanding, cutting on our alone time."

"I'm staying tonight so we will have plenty of alone time."

"Oh, sounds promising," he practically purrs and leans in to kiss her but she pushes him away with a hand over his mouth.

"You stink and you need a shower."

"So mean, Pepper," Tony murmurs through her hand and she just smiles and ushers him out of the workshop.

* * *

Tony turns in the bed in an attempt to get more comfortable but to no avail. Sleep just won't come to him, he knows from experience. He can't even remember the last time he slept truly well without being so exhausted he practically passed out, it must have been before Afghanistan though and it's gotten only worse since New York.

He's been lying there for more than an hour and at some other time he would have already gone to his workshop or to pour himself a glass of something strong. But if Pepper finds out he didn't sleep in the bed she will only get worried. Tony hates making her worried. He wonders, as he listens to her calm breathing, what good he has ever done to deserve her. Because she is obviously too good for someone like him. They love each other but Tony can't help but wonder if that alone is enough. What life can he offer to her? He constantly puts his own life in danger and he knows Pepper hates it. He knows he is hurting her but he can't stop, he is too selfish to give up the suit, Tony needs Iron Man and he can lie and say that this need is not his but the world's, that he is being Iron Man to protect the Earth first and foremost but the truth remains that the main purpose of the suit is Anthony Stark's own redemption. He's flying around fighting the bad guys, helping the good ones, saving the innocent but it's from a selfish need to make up for his own misdeeds. Tony wants to be better but it's not enough for him to be a better man just for Pepper. So he can't give this up, not even for her.

He turns again so he is staring at the wall instead of the ceiling.

Tony knows he will not give up Pepper either. Not of his own accord at least but if she ever wants to leave he will not try to stop her.

It would probably be better for her as she deserves someone who won't get himself killed in some stupid battle for greater good or his own peace of mind.

And still he will not end things between them. He loves her and he is selfish enough to want to keep her as long as he can.

So Tony stays in the bed even though sleep evades him for long hours and falls asleep just before dawn.

* * *

It has been more than two weeks since they found the book and Tony has made next to none progress in uncovering the hidden text that he is sure is there. But that is not the only thing that remains without any advance.

They have yet to find any trace of Loki. Tony would almost forget about that crazy bastard but it is a fact that the god is still out there. The magic detector hasn't picked up any traces besides the book and Thor hasn't been much helpful in the search either.

Tony is not sure but it seems to him that the blond god doesn't really want to find his brother. It's odd but every time they discuss the topic Thor seems reluctant to reply to their questions and his answers are very vague, especially regarding Loki's escape. He goes out every day, sometimes coming back the next day, claiming to be looking for his brother but what is he really doing? Flying around the Earth for hours and hoping he will spot him somewhere? Or does he have some weird kind of sense that allows him to feel Loki's presence? Tony doubts it. Scratch that, he doesn't doubt it, it's just bullshit. So what is it that Thor is not telling them?

They have not pushed Thor to spill his guts yet but they are all pretty much frustrated with the situation. Another fact that is making it even worse is that Fury is incredibly pissed off and no one wants to deal with pissed off Fury.

"So you're telling me no one from Asgard can help us?" Fury asks with barely contained anger.

"There is no one amongst the Æsir who could find my brother's whereabouts. They can do no more than us."

"What about sending someone in case your brother decides to go fucking crazy again?"

There is a pause as Thor frowns. They all know that he doesn't like it when Loki is spoken about like the lunatic he is.

"They did send me, didn't they? I assure you, man of ire, I am more than enough for that task." The growl in the god's voice is very subtle but it is clearly enough to remind Fury who exactly he is dealing with.

"It seems that unless Loki takes some action we won't be able to find him," Thor continues,"but I won't stop my search for him."

"Oh? And how is this search of yours going?" Fury raises his single eyebrow.

"Not well."

"Thought so."

"If I may, Director..."

"Yes, Agent Romanoff?"

Natasha clears her throat before speaking. "I think we should do what Loki does, just lay low for a while. I'm sure he knows we're looking for him and as long as that is the case we won't find him unless he wants us to. We can't rely on the possibility that he may make a mistake because he most likely won't."

"So you suggest we stop the search?"

"I'm saying the search doesn't have much sense."

"I'm with Nat on this," Tony says.

"Stark?"

"She's right, it's pointless, we don't have any lead. He could be anywhere, hell, he doesn't even have to be on Earth anymore." Tony is getting really tired of this, he could be in his lab and poking at the damn book.

"Thor, what do you think?" Fury turns to the god again.

Thor looks very reluctant to answer. "I believe my brother is still here," he says slowly. "Other realms are not safe for him."

"And Earth is? That's just peachy," Barton snorts but there is not much humour in it. It still earns him a glare from Fury.

"Compared to other realms Midgard is quite safe," Thor confirms. "So it is most likely that Loki will not leave in any near future."

"Rogers, what do you think?"

The Captain shifts in his seat before replying. "I... agree with Natasha and Tony. We are not making any progress and it's not like we don't have other matters to attend to."

"My words, Cap. I'm a working man." Tony grins only to be ignored.

"So do you all agree on this?" Fury asks looking around the table.

They all nod though Hawkeye looks particularly unhappy.

"We'll stop the active search till we get some solid lead," Fury says in conclusion and stands up. "But that doesn't mean the threat's gone."

As if they don't know that.

Fury turns on his heel and stalks from the room in a dramatic fashion, black coat and all.

"So if that's all..." Tony jumps to his feet.

"Sit," Natasha orders and he falls back in his seat a bit freaked out by her tone. But luckily she is not looking at him. She is looking at Thor.

"Don't you want to tell us something?" she asks evenly.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Lady Natasha." Thor smiles in his charming fashion but it's clearly forced.

And the Widow is not too impressed. "You are not a great liar and you would have to be damn perfect to fool me. So stop this farce and tell us what's going on."

Tony almost feels sorry for Thor as he watches the helpless look on the man's face but he too wants to know what this is about.

"Come on, Thor, you can tell us."

For a moment the god really looks like he wants to spill everything but then he shakes his head and gets up. "There is nothing to tell you, my friends." And then he practically runs out of the room.

"Well, that was awkward. I would love to stay and chat," Tony stands up,"but I have work to do so I'll follow mysterious boy here and depart."

"Tony..."

"What, Cap? He won't tell us anything whatever it is, not now anyway, so instead of speculating about what it is that he keeps to himself I'll go and do some work, ok?" He looks over the three Avengers. "Unless you need me for something."

"You've been working almost nonstop for past two weeks, you should take a break, I hope this stopped search for Loki doesn't mean we won't see you at all."

"Aw, would you miss me Steve?"

The Captain just rolls his eyes. "I just want to be sure that whatever you are doing won't blow up in your face."

"Don't worry I got it all under control." Tony winks and leaves the room.

* * *

"Are you sure, sir?"

"Stop asking me JARVIS, you know I'm not."

"I feel obligated to remind you that you know nothing about the effects of this spell." And is his AI just telling him that Tony is stupid?

"If I don't try I won't know. It can't be anything too drastic, like... blowing up the planet. It's about energy, power. I doubt even Loki could do that and Thor keeps telling us how super powerful that son of a bitch is. I'm not even a magician or whatever. I doubt I have much of this 'magical energy' the book speaks about. And I've read it, like twenty times, it says some of the stuff requires lots of energy and this? What was it? 'Amount of energy not noticeable to the caster', that was it." Tony knows he is just rambling but it kind of steels his resolve so it is ok.

"The energy doesn't have to come from you, sir."

"Shut up, JARVIS," Tony says resolutely. He knows he is being careless but when is he ever not? He is going insane from the book and it has been almost four weeks, _four weeks_ without any progress, and maybe that explains why he is about to try out a spell while not having the slightest clue what it does.

And Tony does not feel like stopping now that he has collected all the ingredients. They are mostly just common herbs but there are some pretty weird things too, like fur of a grey wolf and some others, but nothing Tony couldn't get. However, there is one ingredient that has been a bit of a problem. Well, that is an understatement because that ingredient is blood of a mage. It is a part of the spell conditioned by the fact that Tony himself is no mage. The book says you need two different blood samples, both given willingly, and if the caster is not a magician then at least one of the samples has to be blood of a mage, which is problematic at least. But Tony didn't give up when he read this. Because he realised he actually has such blood at his disposition, Loki's blood.

When the crazy god was held in custody during the invasion SHIELD jumped at the opportunity and took a blood sample from him and considering that Loki did not protest Tony thinks it counts as 'given willingly'.

He has gone through a lot of trouble to get it, lying to Fury that he could use it to improve his magic detector and finally locate Loki (and maybe he could, he will look into it later) and after a long while of persuading the Director has given the blood to him.

So now he has everything he needs.

"JARVIS, draw me the fancy circle on the floor."

"Of course, sir."

The mechanical arms that normally dismantle the Iron Man suit move in synchronization to draw a complicated pattern on a cleared area on the floor. Tony is glad he does not have to do this himself.

When it is done he takes the bowls with various ingredients and places those in the right positions around the circle, careful not to smudge the white chalk.

"I guess we can start the show," Tony says as he steps inside the circle. In one hand he holds another bowl, a silver one, in the other he has two vials, the first full of his own blood, because why not use his own resources, the second full of Loki's. He places the bowl in the centre of the circle and then pours both blood samples in. "This better be good."

Tony stands up and throws away the vials. "JARVIS, time to play the music."

There is no incantation as a part of the spell (like there is with most of the others) but a particular sound has to be produced. In the book there is detailed description of a flute that would play it but instead of building the flute Tony just had JARVIS figure out the sound from the description and then play it.

A calm tune fills the workshop and Tony takes a deep breath. The sound somehow seems to resonate in his very bones. He really hopes nothing will explode.

* * *

**AN:** I know I really shouldn't start a multi-chapter story but it seems I just don't have the ability to write oneshots. And I really wanted to write this. Anyway, if you find any errors just point them out, I'm not a native speaker.

I'll be happy for every review you might leave on your way out.


	2. Chapter 2

Loki does not know how long it has been since the door closed. Days? Most certainly but maybe weeks, months even, it is hard to tell when he has been locked in a cell with no source of light and only himself as a company.

He hurts all over but most of all his wrists, bound tightly in shackles, and his jaw as the muzzle holds it in bruising grip. That is not the worst of it though. What was left of his sanity before is slowly slipping away now as the blinding darkness presses at his eyes but the silence, _the silence_ is worse. It is too much like the void and sometimes he cannot fight the panic rising in his throat and he wants to scream, thrash, _anything_ to disturb the silence.

How long can it take the All-Father to decide his sentence? Or is this how he is to be punished? To rot in this cell until he loses his mind? The cruelty of it would be quite fitting.

He would prefer death. He has expected it, has been prepared for it.

He shuts his eyes tightly, as if it meant something, to fight off the idea of staying here for the rest of eternity. He tries telling himself it can't happen. Only it can. The panic starts to crawl up his throat and he wants to scream, _needs _to make a sound but he can't.

Steps from somewhere far away make him freeze. His first thought is that he has finally lost the last speck of sanity and he is hallucinating. But the steps keep getting louder, nearer.

The door opens and there is light, too bright, burning his eyes in a way that makes him gasp in pain (or would have if he could) and shut them again. He hears the door close and then the steps continue, he can even feel them reverberating through the floor he is lying on. Suddenly the light is gone again and there are hands on him. And a voice.

"Loki..."

_Thor._

What is he doing here? Loki tries to shy away from the touch but the other grips his arms and does not let go. And... what is he_ doing?_

The shackles fall from Loki's wrists and he can feel the remains of his magic returning as Thor's hands slide up to his not-brother's face. Then there are lips almost touching Loki's ear.

"Hide my words." It's almost inaudible but the trickster still catches it.

And though he does not know why he does just that.

* * *

Thor is standing at the steps leading to his father's throne. He is dressed in all his formal battle gear, looking proud and mighty as the crown prince of Asgard should but on the inside there is a tight knot of anxiety coiling in his stomach.

Odin is about to publically announce Loki's sentence, he spent much time discussing it with the important elders but Thor wasn't allowed to attend those meetings so he has no idea what is awaiting his brother.

The All-Father stands up and the butt of Gungnir hits the ground, the sound echoing through the hall and silencing everyone in it. Thor finds himself holding his breath. He does not think his father would sentence Loki to death for his crimes but that does not mean his brother would get out of this easily. Thor only hopes the trickster god will be given a chance at redemption, he still believes Loki deserves as much and he will be glad if he can help his little brother on that way.

"We gathered here today to hear out what punishment was decided and will be dealt upon Loki, son of Odin, for the act of treason against Asgard and his crimes committed on Midgard," Odin speaks in a calm tone but Thor is anything but calm. Treason? What is that supposed to mean?

"For his misdeeds Loki Silvertongue is sentenced to banishment from the Realm Eternal. He will be bound and sent to Jötunheimr, if he be worthy he shall resume his place amongst the Æsir. That is my decision."

Thor stares at his father, _Loki's _father, in shock. He cannot do this, how can he condemn his _son_ to death? Thor has to do something, before it is too late.

* * *

Thor bursts through the door to his father's private study with a deep frown etched on his face.

"You cannot do this, father," he fumes when he sees Odin is alone. He does not even try to keep the distress out of his voice.

The elder god sighs and gives him a stern look. "You will find out, my son, that I am the judge to what I can or cannot do. Or what I must do."

"He is your son, how can you send him to find his death in that place?" Thor will not back down, this is his little brother's life they are talking about, he will not fail him again.

"A king must be righteous, he cannot place his emotions or affections before justice." There is sadness and exhaustion in that statement. "You must learn that before you become a ruler or you are bound to be a bad one."

"This is no justice, father, you are sentencing him to death without even giving him a chance to redeem himself!"

"You must understand," Odin states after a moment of silence, "that those are interests of the many that a king has to take into consideration when making his decision."

Thor takes a second to process this. "So you are telling me you are willing to denounce your _son_ to appease the elders?" He can barely contain his fury at this point.

"I have said no such a thing," Odin speaks and regards Thor with a look that would at some other time be enough to put the thunder-god in his place. "You are still young and you assume too much."

The anger boils in him but before he can make it known his father continues.

"I think you should visit him, before the sentence is carried out."

"Father, you cannot-"

"Silence!" Odin hisses and Thor knows his decision is absolute.

"I will allow you a visit," the All-Father continues calmly, "and ensure you complete privacy. There will be no guards accompanying you but I advise you to hurry, there is not much time left."

The thunder-god can only watch his father in disbelief.

"Go now, my son, and do what you must do."

Thor's lips are presses into a straight line to keep him from speaking further. He regards Odin for a moment longer before turning on his heel and striding from the room without a word.

* * *

When Thor tells him to 'hide his words' Loki does not have to ask what the elder means. His not-brother wants to hide what he is about to say from Heimdall. The trickster is not sure why he goes along with what Thor asks without much hesitation, but why not?

"Speak," Loki croaks in a voice that sounds like ice grinding on stone. How long has it been since he last used it? He cannot be sure but it feels horrible to do so now.

"I... need to get you out of here, we have to hurry. I was allowed to see you in private but I am not sure how long we have left." Thor's voice sounds stressed in the darkness, Loki is sure the elder's brow is pulled into a distressed frown.

"Why?"

"Your sentence was decided upon," Thor says after a moment of hesitation. "You are to be... to be bound and sent to Jötunheimr."

Oh, Loki wants to laugh. The hypocrisy, the sheer hypocrisy, he cannot understand _why _Odin still insists on keeping up the charade of his younger _son_ being an áss. Why not just kill him like they would any other jötunn? No, the All-Father will be a gracious king like he would be to the other Æsir, Odin will give him a _chance_. A chance to die out of his sight.

He chuckles even though it feels as if his throat is being torn to shreds.

"Loki?" Thor sounds concerned. Why is he still even here? Why does he insist on helping Loki? After all that has happened...

"What... you- why?" The trickster curses silently at his failing voice but he is sure his point has been understood.

"You are my brother and do not tell me you are not, this is how _I_ feel it and I won't let you be sent to death. But I need you to help me. Can you open a path to another realm?"

"Where..?"

"Midgard."

Loki freezes. What can Thor possibly want with him on Midgard? Is he about to hand him over to SHIELD?

"Loki, you have to trust me," Thor speaks hurriedly, obviously sensing the other's hesitation. "I just want to keep you safe."

But Loki does not trust others. He knows everyone lies and everyone deceives, he is the God of Lies after all. But he also knows much about truth and he knows Thor.

"Yes."

There is an audible sigh of relief from the elder god, then a rustling sound and suddenly Loki is pulled to his feet. His legs do not support him well but Thor still holds him up.

"What do I have to do?" It is clear in the thunder-god's voice that he has no idea what is about to happen.

"You... must-" Loki coughs to clear his throat but it only serves to make it worse. "Focus on your destination, close... eyes," he rasps. "Then walk."

"Walk, But-" Thor is silenced by an impatient huff from the other.

"Focus, close your eyes," Loki commands. It is difficult to find a way into the dark paths between the realms but after a moment he feels it and then they are no more in the cell.

"Walk." But Thor is clearly hesitant. "Don't look... just walk, focus."

And then they are finally moving. No matter how used Loki is to walking these paths it feels extremely strange now that someone else is leading the way, it does not help that the someone has no idea what he is doing. The trickster just hopes they will not end up in some horrible place.

It is over very quickly, no more than a minute passes and there is daylight he can see even through the closed eyelids.

"Where are we?" Loki asks quietly not opening his eyes as not to expose them to the light after so long without it.

"New Mexico but... it is not what I expected..."

"What's wrong?"

"Just... wait here." The elder leads him a short distance and then Loki is being sat on something. A chair.

"Thor, but-"

"Trust me," Thor says insistently. "I will be back, I only have to take care of something."

Loki wants to protest but there is not much he can do so in the end he just nods.

* * *

The journey between the realms, however short, was probably the strangest experience Thor has ever gone through. Walking blind in a space he could not even begin to picture in his mind is something he hopes to never repeat again.

When he can feel solid ground under his feet again he opens his eyes. They are exactly where he has wanted them to be, they are standing in Lady Jane's living quarters, but there is no one in here. So he decides to go looking for her, he needs some help and knows of no one else who may give it to him. And his brother.

When he tries to open the door it is locked, obviously.

"Loki?" Thor asks making the younger raise his head. "Can you unlock a door for me?"

The trickster snorts and stands up unsteadily reaching out his hand. The elder takes it and pulls his brother to the door. "Foolish... question," he rasps in a voice that makes Thor wince.

Loki lays his palm flat on the door, finding the lock and then there is an almost instant 'click' of the inner mechanism turning.

"Thank you, brother." Thor realises too late that this is not the right thing to say.

Loki does not say anything, maybe because he cannot, he only turns away and makes his way back to the chair where he sits down.

"I... will be back." Thor has no idea what more to say and his brother stays quiet so he just makes his way out into the sun.

He does not want to be seen so it is very opportune for him that it is still very early morning in this place and there is no one yet roaming the streets.

Thor only gets more confused when he does not find Jane or anyone else at her working place, her 'lab' as she calls it. He has to silently congratulate himself when he manages to get in without completely destroying the back door. The room looks empty as he glances around but then he notices something. There is a sheet of paper laying on one of the tables and as Thor comes to take a look at it he cannot help it but smile. It is a note, for him.

_Thor, if you come back call me. Jane._

There is a small device laid on the note and another piece of paper with instructions about what 'call me' means exactly.

Lady Jane is, indeed, very thoughtful.

* * *

Loki covers his eyes with his hands, blocking out all light, and slowly opens them. Complete darkness, that is nice but not really a progress. He sighs and shifts his hands to let some light in. It is slow and rather painful process but it gives him something to do as he tries not to think about what _Thor_ might be doing and in the end he is able to take a look at where he is.

The room, if it can even be called a room, is very small and quite dark as well though he still avoids looking at the window. There is not really much to look at and not much to do, nothing to stop him from thinking.

He still cannot quite grasp what has happened. What is Thor's plan? Does he even have one? It would not be so unlike his not-brother to act on impulse with vague idea about his next step at best. And what if the plan is to hand Loki over to SHIELD, he does not know what he would do then. But does it even matter? There is no difference if he dies on Jötunheimr or on Midgard. Maybe Earth is better in a way because he does not want to ever return to Jötunheimr, to be faced with his own nature that is why he went with Thor, yes, there is no other reason for it.

Loki's whole body tenses as he hears steps outside. He stands up and moves to stand beside the door though he knows he could probably do nothing even if someone came with hostile intentions, his legs barely support his weight.

The door opens but it is just Thor. The trickster is surprised to actually feel some relief at the fact.

"I have spoken to Lady Jane," the elder god states when the door is closed again.

"You told... her I am here?" Loki rasps and his anger and disbelief is not lost to Thor.

"No. I planned to but... I don't want to put her in danger. She works with SHIELD now and I would never forgive myself if something happened to her because of-"

"Me."

Thor gives him a sad look. "Us, because of us."

Loki snorts. He cannot believe that, cannot believe that his not-brother still cares.

It is clear that the thunder-god wants to push the issue but he just shakes his head with a sigh. "You can stay here," he states. "Jane and her companions are in the city of New York exploring the traces of the Tesseract we left behind, she hopes to be able to open a portal to other worlds one day. They won't be back for other month at least so you will have time to recover."

The younger god walks back to his chair and sits down before asking the obvious question. "What do you plan to do with me?"

Thor frowns and there is that sad look again.

"Do... not tell me you will... just let me... go." They both know he will not.

"No. I... just want to keep you safe, away from Asgard and I will figure out what to do after I make sure you are all right."

Loki watches him closely searching for a lie. He finds none so he just nods.

"Are you hurt?" Thor asks after a moment.

"Not beyond... what you can see," the younger replies indicating the bruises and scratches left behind by his bonds. "I'm just... tired." Weak would be more appropriate word for his current state but Niflheim will burn in flames before he calls himself that.

"I will see to that and I also brought you some food and water." Thor moves to take Loki's injured wrist in his hand but the younger stops him.

"You have to go."

"What- why?" The thunder-god gives him incredulous stare.

"I... soon I won't have the strength... to send you back," Loki states in rasping voice and he really hopes he will get rid of that soon as every word still pains him. "You will leave the cell as if you were... there the whole time. There won't be proof you aided me."

"What about Heimdall?"

"I can take care of him."

Thor looks reluctant to go, Loki can see he wants to stay and help but his not-brother has already done enough. If anyone discovers Thor helped him escape no good will come from it for the trickster, in the end he would be blamed for that too, surely.

"He won't know I'm gone... until you are far away from the cell. No one will doubt your word if you tell I was there when you left... I will make sure of that." Loki waves his hand and a copy of him appears from thin air.

His not-brother still does not look too happy but he does not expect him to. "I will return, I promise you."

"How?"

"I will find a way."

That makes Loki snort. How great is his not-brother's stupidity?

Thor does not seem to notice. He picks up the shackles and the muzzle from the floor, it is the first time Loki notices them there, and walks over to the copy.

"Leave those here. You cannot... put them on him, he's not solid... just illusion." The trickster waves his hand again and then his copy is bound and muted.

The thunder-god nods.

"Thor, how... long was I locked there?" He tries to make it sound like he does not care and he is glad when it comes out as such.

There is the sad look again. "Over two months."

It is Loki's turn to nod as he keeps his face carefully blank.

"I will go then, brother. Be well and expect me soon."

Loki nearly rolls his eyes. Instead he beckons Thor to come closer. He lays his hands on either side of the other's head and takes a deep breath.

"Goodbye, Loki."

_Fool._

The next moment Loki is alone.

* * *

The very air around him seems to shiver, vibrate with the tune. Tony is entranced with it. The way the air moves appears hypnotizing, it fills his mind with low hum making it hard to focus on anything else. Well, maybe for average people.

Tony notices how the circle starts to glow faintly, the light flowing from the bowl in the centre. For the first time it is clear that this is _actual magic_ and he finds himself getting excited though at the same time he is terrified, he will not lie to himself. This is something completely new, unknown and he really, really hopes JARVIS is getting all this.

He checks the time and frowns. The sound should have stopped by now but instead it keeps getting louder, more insistent.

"JARVIS, you doing this?"

"No, sir. I stopped according to the instructions."

"Well, shit..." Tony should have expected this, really should have expected something to go wrong. Maybe he just did not care. He tries to move out of the circle, because this was _not_ supposed to happen, but finds his feet glued to the floor. "Son of a-"

Three things happen before he can even start to panic.

First the circle flares up with light and the sound escalates like a revving engine. And then a figure appears in front of him.

_Loki._

It is Loki, _fucking Loki_ the God of Mischief, standing there swaying slightly, confused and startled. He looks around and his eyes widen before setting on Tony.

And well, shit, _there_ is the panic.

"What-"

If Loki says more Tony does not hear him. Because in that moment the noise becomes deafening, the light blinds him and then everything fades into darkness.

* * *

**AN: **A big thank you for all follows/ favourites and a special thank you to you who reviewed.


	3. Chapter 3

I'm sorry for the wait but, well, January was a bit stressful for me with the end of semester and my driving exams and I don't deal well with stress. I also told myself I wouldn't write until after the exams because I knew that I wouldn't have studied if I had been writing and then getting back into this after a month was a bit difficult.  
Yeah, excuses, excuses, but finally it's finished even if it doesn't really feel that way to me, I just can't keep staring at it and hope it will miraculously start looking the way I want it to.  
Thanks to everyone who's been waiting for/looking forward to this and I hope you won't be disappointed.

* * *

Tony cannot remember who put an axe through his skull. And it has to be quite some axe because that is the only plausible explanation for the head-splitting pain he is experiencing. He groans. Seriously, all his hangovers are huddled somewhere in a corner blushing from shame right now. What the hell has he been doing?

It all comes back to him in a rush and it is not a pleasant one. The spell, the circle glowing with light, blood, the sound everywhere, all-consuming, Loki.

He shoots up and regrets it instantly as his head swims and he nearly falls back down.

"Hey, take it easy." It is Steve, sitting right beside his bed.

Yeah, Tony is in a bed. He looks around and confirms that it is his bed in his bedroom at the tower.

"Where's Loki?"

"What?" Steve exclaims in surprise.

"What?" Tony returns pretty shocked by the question himself.

"He is in the cell," the Captain replies slowly, "the one we had built in for Hulk. He is still unconscious though, JARVIS will inform us when he wakes up."

Tony nods trying to get Loki out of his head. "Ok, so... what happened?"

"I actually hope you will tell me that. We found you in your lab, unconscious on the floor _with Loki_ inside some magic circle so tell me, what did you do?" The look Steve gives him is stern, it is clear that he is angry.

Well, time to drop the bomb. "I might have done something stupid, really, really stupid, on the grand scale."

"The book?"

"Exactly. I don't have idea _what_ I did, yet, but shit, it can't be that bad, can it? I mean, nothing exploded, that's good, real good, I just... teleported _Loki_ in my workshop," Tony rambles on. The whole situation is just so fucked up. "And no one died, that's good too, at least no one I know about. I should really think before I do something but I don't see that happening anytime soon-"

"Tony, stop going off the topic. What exactly did you do?"

Does Steve really have to talk to him as if he was a naughty child? Damn, Tony is a grown man. The sad fact is that this is not an exclusively 'Steve' thing.

Tony sighs but then tells the Captain everything, the full story about the book and especially about his little experiment. When he finishes Steve's expression is a strange mix of disbelief, exasperation, anger and is that a bit of desperation?

"Well, I will say that was... reckless of you."

"Oh, Cap. You don't have to hold back, just tell me how stupid I am."

Steve sighs and runs a hand over his face. "You are so incredibly stupid, Tony."

"Now that's the spirit."

"Though you did solve one of our problems. We have Loki now even if we have no idea how you got him here. But I don't think it matters that much since you are fine and he, well, he seems fine and soon Thor will take him back to Asgard so we won't have to worry about him."

Something about what Steve has just said does not sit well with Tony at all but he dismisses the feeling.

"That's what I can't agree with you on, Cap, 'how' is always important."

"You can look into it later. Do you feel like getting up?"

"Not really," Tony mutters not even needing to be reminded of the head-splitting ache since it is doing said job pretty well by itself. "But I bet Fury will kill me sooner or later so why not make it sooner?"

He really misses the time when he did not have SHIELD breathing down his neck. He is just consultant, they should be consulting him not the other way around. But Fury will probably classify Tony's little experiment a threat to the safety of Earth and maybe he will want to confiscate the book. Well, Tony cannot have that, good that he is not just someone Fury can order around. Too much money and power make him too important not to mention Tony's part in Fury's precious Avengers.

As Steve calls Fury and leads Tony for the debriefing the scientist finds himself missing the time when he lived alone as well. The reason for him to offer the other Avengers a place to stay at his tower was the whole 'Loki situation' (except for Bruce, that guy is his science-bro after all, but Bruce had left to India or some such place long before Loki escaped) and sometimes Tony just regrets that decision. Mainly because it makes Fury come to the tower more often but having Natasha around can be pretty unnerving too and Barton is not much better. Tony would like to think that those two are not just loyal dogs of SHIELD but that just seems too naive.

"You didn't call Pepper, did you?" Tony asks while they are waiting for Fury and the others to arrive.

"I wanted to," Steve replies, "but since your life didn't seem to be in any real danger I decided not to."

"Good." The inventor leans back in his chair and rubs his face with his hands. "She would just freak out." She will freak out anyway but less than if she found him unconscious after some magic experiment.

It takes about ten minutes for everyone to arrive. Normally Tony would chatter away just to fill the silence, as it is now he just closes his eyes to try and relieve his headache. It has subsided a bit since he woke up but that does not mean it is not still quiet intense.

"Stark, I expect a very good explanation," an angry voice sounds from his right and how come he has not noticed Fury enter the room?

"I have an explanation though if you'll deem it as good is up for discussion because our opinions on most everything differ so-"

"Stark, stop fucking around and get to the point."

"You are a bit grumpy today, Nick, aren't you?"

"Stark..." Fury growls and maybe it would really be wise not to piss him off further.

Tony takes a look around the room. Steve is watching him expectantly, Barton and Romanoff have their 'agent' faces on and Fury will soon probably pop a vein or something, the usual. Thor makes an interesting sight though. The guy should be happy (or at least glad) they got his brother, the means be damned, and meanwhile he looks anything but. It is clear the god is trying very hard to look neutral but the unease almost seeps from him, Tony can see it in the tenseness of his jaw, the nervous flexing of his fingers. He lets it go for the moment.

"So... you all remember the book we found on Iceland? Of course you do, how could you forget, anyways, I knew from Thor it's a book of spells, so I translated it and found out a part of the text was hidden, probably, because it's clearly missing. And after a while I decided to try out one spell." Tony seriously would not be too surprised if Fury's head just exploded right now but luckily (or not so much) no such a thing happens. And it is not even Fury who comes with a reaction as the first, it is Thor.

"How did you use a spell when you are not a magic user? I do not know much about the craft of mages but I know you have to be born with a certain sort of talent to be able to practise it. I don't believe you are a mage and even if you were it would not be possible for you to just summon my brother like that."

"Why not?" Tony asks, his curiosity making itself known.

"You are just a mortal," Thor answers as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and that stings just a bit even though it is likely true.

"Ouch..."

"Stark, what about you get back to explaining before I lose my patience?" Fury growls. "What exactly did you do, how did you do it and tell me, does it have anything to do with the blood I gave you?"

Well, Fury is certainly putting two and two together quickly. "It has something to do with it."

"What blood?" Clint asks before Tony can continue.

Which just reminds him there are still three people, well, two people and one god, who have no idea about this. And he is a bit worried about the god's reaction.

"Loki's blood, now keep all your notions for later I want to hear the whole thing before I become senile," Fury says impatiently and raises his single eyebrow at Tony to prompt him to continue.

"Ok, the spell. I got all the things needed for the mojo, and some of those were really weird things like animal-bones-weird but then I was glad there was not something like blood of a virgin, that would be hard to get, I followed through with the instructions, then there was a lot of glowing and whirling, JARVIS recorded it all, and then Loki just appeared. From thin air, I don't know how and that's the problem." Tony heaves a sigh and rubs his forehead to try and ease his headache. "I have no idea what the spell did, well, besides the obvious."

He expects someone to start shouting now and Thor doesn't let him wait too long.

"You used my brother's blood in some unknown spell?!" The bellow sounds with such a force Tony almost expects the windows to shake. "Anything could have happened to him! Did you not consider this?!"

"More like I didn't care," Tony mutters and immediately regrets it when Thor moves towards him with a murderous glare. "But, hey! I used my blood too, it was nothing personal!" And no, that is absolutely not panic in his voice.

"Everyone calm down," Fury orders, his voice steel as he sweeps the room with a look. It makes Barton clamp his mouth shut just before he can say anything and Thor apparently decides he will not murder Tony, now. "Now Stark," the Director focuses his eye on him, "you are telling me that you used some spell of unknown effects, endangering not only yourself but, because we don't know a thing about it, I'll say the whole world? What will you say to that?"

"That it was a bad idea. And seriously, whole world? That's a bit exaggerated."

"Stark, if I didn't need you..."

"Well, then I'm lucky you do, Nick," Tony snaps. The headache is killing him, can they not just leave him alone so he can have a drink and pass out?

"Sir, I am sorry to interrupt but Mr. Laufeyson appears to be waking up," his AI's voice sounds from the ceiling.

JARVIS, his saviour, the timing truly could not be better. "Thanks, JARVIS. So I guess you all want to go see him, welcome him, long time no see and all that shit."

"You're coming with us," Fury states and there is no room for argument.

Well, for Tony there is.

"No, actually I'm not-"

"Friends, I would like to speak with my brother alone first," Thor says suddenly.

There is a moment of silence when all regard him but Tony looks at Natasha instead. She is watching the god with unmasked suspicion, eyes narrowed and lips pressed together, but does not say a word.

"Go ahead we'll wait," Fury says to which Thor nods and leaves the room.

Tony looks back to the Widow and finds her looking back.

"JARVIS, bring up the security footage from the cell."

* * *

Loki gives himself credit for not panicking when he wakes up in a glass cell that is both too familiar and foreign. He remembers being in New Mexico and then suddenly somewhere else, where, he has no clue. But he recalls someone else was there.

_Stark._

Man of Iron, yes, one of the Avengers, that means they have him now though that he can tell by the cell alone.

He tries to sit up but finds out he is bound to the bed he is lying on. He could probably break the bonds but there is no real need for it, yet.

To awake in bonds is truly the less disturbing fact about Loki's current situation. The most pressing matter is the way he got here. When he was teleported Stark was not the only thing he noticed about his new surroundings, there was a circle drawn on the floor and though he did not have time to study it in the few seconds he was conscious it is still, together with the splitting headache he is experiencing since he has woken up, a clear indication of what happened.

There is a spell placed on him. He has to see the circle to know what it is meant for and more importantly how to remove it.

The sound of the door sliding open pulls him from his thoughts.

"Loki."

It is a small relief to hear Thor's voice at the moment though Loki hopes the big oaf will not do something stupid in an attempt to 'save' him since he is perfectly capable of dealing with this on his own. And there is still a possibility that Thor has changed his mind and will stand on his friends' side, Loki would not be surprised if his not-brother reconsidered his rash decision to help him.

"Thor," he greets the other god when he comes to sit beside his bed. "I have to say I have underestimated your friends. I had no idea they have a... magician at their disposition, well, I had no idea there is one this powerful in this realm." He needs information so he might as well prompt Thor to talk.

"We... still don't know what exactly happened," the thunder-god sighs, "this was not planned."

"Oh?" Loki raises his eyebrows in mock amusement. "So what you are saying is that someone _accidentally_ summoned me?"

"Aye, that is what happened."

The younger god laughs without humour at that. "Excuse me for not believing that."

"But it is the truth."

Loki believes him but that doesn't mean he wants the ones who are undoubtedly watching them to know that.

"Where am I?"

"Stark Tower," Thor replies. "We found you and Man of Iron in his workshop about three hours ago, you were both unconscious."

"Workshop? And where would that be?" Now they are getting somewhere.

"It is in the building, just a few fl-"

"Mr. Odinson," JARVIS interrupts the god, "Director Fury is asking me to tell you to stop sharing information with the enemy."

It makes Loki chuckle. He has been wondering when someone will step in and stop their little chat. It would be nice to get some more information out of Thor but he can work with what he has now, there is no point in staying here any longer.

"Well, it's been a pleasure seeing you once again, son of Odin, but I am afraid I have to depart now."

And just like that he is gone.

* * *

"JARVIS, what the hell did just happen?" Tony demands to know as the screen in front of them goes black.

"It appears that the whole surveillance system has been switched off, Sir, I cannot access it."

"Son of a bitch..." he curses and stands up from his seat as does everyone else. "What about intercom? Connect me to the cell."

"Already done, Sir."

"Thor? Buddy, do you hear me?"

There is no sound coming through the line and they all exchange looks, either worried or suspicious.

Tony tries calling again but still silence is the only answer he gets.

* * *

It does not take long for Loki to find the workshop Thor has told him about. He appears inside sealing the glass door so no one will disturb him.

The room is in disarray though it is possible that it is a usual state but some tables are pushed to the side quiet carelessly so at least that is probably not normal. They were probably put out of the way so he and Stark could be carried out safely.

Loki walks over to the circle, slowly, he is wary of any traps, magical or other, but luckily there are none. He takes in the whole picture and before he can begin to study the symbols his eyes are drawn to the centre of it all.

_Blood._

But not just some blood, it is his blood mixed with some other but still he recognizes his own magic in it and now he can feel it everywhere, the whole circle is dimly glowing with it, it is fading away with each passing moment and even so it is so clear.

Loki runs a hand through his hair.

How is this even possible? What is his blood doing here? He knows he gave SHIELD a sample but that was months ago, the blood cannot be usable after that amount of time and they, _the mortals_, should not be able to use it in such a way at all. That is why he did not fight them when they wanted to take it, he was sure there would be no gain in it for them. So how? How did they use it against him? However, that is not the right question since it is not possible either. His own magic cannot be used against him. That is somehow positive, the spell cannot be anything harmful.

He shifts his focus back to the circle itself, noticing a bowl toppled over and its contents spilled over the floor, and starts reading, the runes and symbols can at least answer some of his questions and ease the worry he feels from_ not knowing_ what happened. But as with every passing second he begins to understand the ornament and its meaning more and more he finds himself wishing his blood was the worst thing he would find here. There is nothing positive about this but... this just _cannot _be true.

Loki grips his left sleeve and pulls it up. He refuses to believe this but there, right at his elbow, is a thin string of runes circling his arm just starting to get visible.

He wants to break something, or better kill someone but before he can do anything a movement catches his attention.

There is a shadow-like creature crawling its way out of the circle as if it had been hiding under the floor and now it was trying to pull its shapeless body free of the concrete.

"Damn," Loki curses and quickly smears the chalk outline with his boot, disrupting the circle and the shadow vanishes.

"Damn them!" He slams his fists onto the nearest table. Stupid mortals! They just keep playing with fire and what about consequences? How many creatures, monsters or demons have passed through the circle till now? He has no way of knowing and frankly he would not care if they did not pull him into this.

There is a tap on the glass door and Loki looks up.

"Thor," he greets his not-brother with grim expression.

"Did you figure out what happened?"

Loki wonders if he should tell him. He does not really feel like it but there is no actual reason not to.

"I did. At least partly. I know what spell was used though I don't know how."

Thor is watching him expectantly when it does not look like he will elaborate.

"You should call your friends so it does not look like you are letting me go," he says as if he has not noticed.

"Loki..."

"I took care of the security cameras in the building, they can't see us nor hear us so they will not have any proof but they could still get suspicious."

Thor gives him a long look but gives up for the moment and goes over to some device installed in the wall.

"This is Thor, I have found Loki in Tony Stark's workshop but I cannot get inside," he called as he pressed a button on the device. There is a pause and then-

"_Thor, buddy! We were wondering what happened to you. We'll be there in a sec just don't break my door, ok? And you don't have to shout into the intercom, we'll hear you just fine, Point Break."_

_Stark._

"Loki, what is it? The spell?" The elder god is looking at him again and Loki sighs.

"It's a love spell."

The utterly dumbfounded look on Thor's face would be amusing if it was not for the situation itself.

"What?"

"Tell them or not, I have to go now, you know where to find me."

"Loki, wait." Thor makes a step forward as if he wants to walk through the glass. "Are you ok?"

The younger god lets loose a mirthless laugh. "Of course I am," he says before he disappears.

* * *

**AN: **It's a love spell! Who is surprised? No one? Yeah, you probably saw that coming. Or not.

And the next chapter will be more action, possibly more angst and hopefully it will be finished much sooner than this one. I would really want to update once a week but we'll see.

As always thank you for reviews/favourites/alerts.


	4. Chapter 4

Tony cradles the tumbler of scotch between his palms. He fully intended to get absolutely wasted but this is his second glass and he has not even touched it even though he has been sitting here for hours. It is late in the night already, maybe even early morning but he knows he will not sleep tonight unless he passes out from too much alcohol and it does not look like that is happening this time.

He still has problems wrapping his mind around the events of the day. When Thor told him what the spell had done he did not believe it, hell, he still does not believe it because how do you believe something like that? You don't, that's it. Love spells do not exist, period. But then a year ago he had no idea Asgard existed or that its prince would come to Earth with an alien army to take over the planet.

No! This is bullshit, he loves Pepper, he wants to spend his life with her if she lets him.

Only it does not really feel right when he thinks about it now. Just yesterday, if Pepper had come to his mind he would have been sure about his feelings but he is not anymore. There is just something off.

He looks absently at his left arm that is now circled by neat string of black runes. A stray thought crosses his mind about the media and what would they say about him getting a 'tattoo'. Nothing good, that is for sure so no short sleeves for him.

He tries not to think about Loki but the god keeps plaguing his mind. But that does not mean he is somehow magically in love with him, damn it! It is all Thor's fault for putting this stupid idea into his head, that is why he cannot stop thinking about it and that is why he is all of sudden confused about his emotions. There is no such a thing as love spells, there cannot be and when he meets Pepper tomorrow everything will be clear once again.

* * *

But it is not. When Pepper arrives it is with a worried scowl because yesterday Tony called her to inform her about the situation, though he did not tell her everything. He is still not sure it was a good decision but it is definitely better than if someone else had told her. She rushes to Tony as if she wanted to see that he is all right with her own eyes and then she proceeds to scold him about being careless. That is nothing unusual, he has expected it. He has also expected himself to be glad to see her and he _is_ but there is just something... different. Maybe it is just Thor giving him that weird look Tony just cannot place but he is not so sure anymore.

And when Pepper asks him about the spell he just can't tell her.

"Tony?" she prompts when he has been silent for a long while.

"I..." he begins but no, he will not tell her. "It's nothing, don't worry."

"What?! What do you mean 'it's nothing'?" she asks incredulously. "You just told me you used 'some' spell, won't tell me what it did and I'm not supposed to worry? You look like you've just seen a ghost and everyone else is... they are looking at you like you're a bomb about to explode. So what did you do?"

It is clear that she will not back down. And as much as Tony does not want to lie to her he also does not want her to know, especially since it just _cannot_ be true and who knows how she would react?

"Pepper, I..." he runs a hand through his hair and looks around the room hopelessly. Thor and Steve are there though Steve looks like he'd rather be somewhere else. And Tony still cannot come up with anything to say. How is that even possible? He is Tony _fucking_ Stark the master of bullshit so where is all the bullshit when he needs it?

Then Thor decides to speak up.

"Lady Pepper, I can explain if you-"

"Shut up, Thor," Tony growls. He does not care that Thor is a god, he is seriously thinking about punching him if he continues.

"Stark, I think she deserves to know," Thor says with a frown.

"There is nothing _to_ know unless I have some solid proof to support your _theory!_" Tony can feel his blood boil. "Because as I see it now it's bullshit!"

"And what would you see as a proof solid enough? Not my word, evidently!"

Pepper watches the two men with confusion written all over her face. She is not easily intimidated but seeing the god of thunder lose his temper is not something she would enjoy.

"Well, there is pretty high chance you are wrong!"

"Enough!" Pepper snaps before Thor can respond to that. "Can you please stop growling at each other and tell me what the hell is going on?!"

Tony really should not be so surprised, after all not even Pepper's patience is endless. However, he is not about to back down so easily so all that follows is silence and Steve chooses that moment to join the conversation.

"Tony, I really think you should just tell Miss Potts about the spell."

Really? Steve too? Why is no one on Tony's side in this?

"Steve, don't tell me you believe this," Tony sighs in exasperation.

"Well, it's a theory. And since it's just a theory I don't see a reason why Miss Potts shouldn't know about it."

"Jesus, I need a drink." Tony flops down in a chair. "Why are we even _considering_ this? It's insane!"

"Thor," Pepper says evidently getting fed up with the situation, "can you please tell me what is so terrible about this spell that I can't know about it?"

The god glances at Tony but when the man does not make any move to stop him he clears his throat to answer the question.

"I believe that the spell Stark used is a love spell and that it binds him and my brother, Loki."

Tony has not really thought about the reaction that this statement would get. As it is he is not sure if he should be glad for the absence of anger or even a shocked 'what?!'.

"Oh," is the only reply that comes from Pepper. She is actually speechless which, yeah, how often that happens? Tony should be proud, good job Tony, real good. He feels like shit.

"Pep," he says softly, "you don't believe that do you? Come on, it's crazy, those things don't exist." He needs to believe it and he needs her to believe it as well since the alternative is just too fucked up. And he cannot lose her, at least not like this.

But Thor is obviously determined.

"Stark, those 'things' do exist, I dare say I would know better than you."

"Oh, so now you're an expert on magic," Tony snaps. "I remember you saying, more than once, that it's not 'an art befitting of a warrior'."

Is Tony just imagining it or does Thor look uncomfortable for a moment?

"I am no expert. But I am surely more educated in ways of magic than you are," the god says coldly.

"No offense, big guy, but a fortune teller at amusement park is more educated in ways of magic than me. The point is you can be wrong."

"But I'm not."

Tony lets loose a frustrated sound as he stands up and starts pacing the room. They are all watching him with guarded expressions and it is really grating on his nerves. He is just about to ask if his teammates can kindly fuck off so he can be alone with Pepper when Steve decides to try if Tony can turn green like Bruce.

"You can't be sure it's not true and well, Thor _does_ know more about magic than any of us."

The inventor takes a deep breath and is actually surprised by how calm his next words sound.

"Let's make some things clear. I am not in love with Thor's crazy little brother and don't you think I would know?" He is not... he is not sure. "I'm in love with Pepper, that I know."

Pepper looks relieved but it is clear that she still has doubts.

"Come here." Tony takes her hand and pulls her a little closer. He does not care if he sounds a bit sappy, he has to make sure that nothing changed, that nothing will change. "I love you," he says and it does not feel the same.

He kisses her.

And he pulls away with gasp as a wave of _guilt_ hits him like a kickback from one of his repulsors. It is not even the feeling itself that is so overwhelming but the surprise, the shock of it.

"Tony, what's wrong?" Pepper asks, concerned, and fuck she should not be because he should be fine with this, fine with kissing her and saying he loves her but he is not because he doesn't, not like that, not the way he has.

"I- I don't know."

"This is what I'm talking about, Stark." Thor sounds sad and why does he? He has no right to. "Any bond you'd had was broken and replaced. I am sorry but that is the truth."

What now then? What is he supposed to do? Go to Loki and claim his undying love for him? It feels strange to even _think_ he loves Loki. And Loki is not here anyway, Tony has no idea where he might be. Loki must know, he saw the circle and he _is_ the expert on magic.

"Thor? Steve? Could you please leave us alone?"

Pepper. Bless Pepper because being alone with her is what he needs right now. His sweet Pepper, the one who he loves (loved) and how could he do this to her? He has never imagined that what is (was) between them would be at stake. But what was he thinking?

"I'm sorry," Tony says when they are gone.

She is quiet for a long while and he does not know how to break the silence but in the end he does not have to.

"The kiss before, what was it?" she asks instead of reacting to his apology.

"I felt... guilty all of sudden, for doing that." Tony cannot judge her expression, her face is carefully blank though the too tight line of her lips gives away her distress but nothing more.

"So Thor is right," she states after a pause. "About the... spell, that whatever was between us is-"

"Pepper," he cuts her off when her voice starts to sound too constricted. "This- it doesn't change anything. I will fix it, I promise." He has to, this will not cost him _her_.

"How?" she asks and her face is not blank anymore. She is angry and sad and her eyes are too bright, Tony managed to hurt her once again without trying. "You always say that and you always fix it but this? You don't know a thing about- magic!"

She is right, of course, he has no idea what to do about this spell but that does not mean he is going to give up.

"I will find Loki, he has to know something, I bet he's already on it, this is about him too so he will help and we will get this sorted out just... stay with me."

Pepper won't look at him and with every passing second Tony is more and more aware that this is not going to end well but still, he cannot find the right words to make her stay. Because what is there to say? She has every right to be angry, even if she didn't want to see him ever again he could not blame her since this is far from the first time he did something to hurt her.

"Tony, I... I don't think I can do this."

He shouldn't be surprised, this has always been a possibility.

"Every time you put on the suit I'm wondering if you will come back," she continues, "and I still think I can live with that but this... I don't want to live with a man who can't love me when I do." She is looking at him now and Tony can see the resolution in her gaze that he loves so much.

"I can-"

"What?" Pepper cuts him off. "Pretend that nothing changed, act like nothing changed? But I will know, Tony." She sighs and shakes her head. "Maybe we should... take a break. It sounds silly but we should, I don't want to think about this as the definitive end but I can't be with you when I know this."

Tony knows that at this point there is no talking her out of this, it would not be Pepper if she did not stand by her decisions after all. The disturbing thing is that he is sure he should be more upset by her breaking up with him, because that is what she is doing, and he _is_ upset, he desperately wants to keep her with him but there is no heartbreak. And there certainly should be one.

"And what about when I fix this?" Because Tony will fix this, he has to.

"We can try again, if we still want each other by then," Pepper says. "We will have time to figure that out, it's not like I'm leaving and not coming back. I still work for you. I just can't be with you like this."

"So we go back to being friends?" Tony asks, a little anxious as he really hopes the answer will be yes.

She seems to think about it before she tries for a small, forced smile.

"Friends. But... I need some time. I hope you understand."

"I do." He has no idea what more to say.

She does, of course and it makes him smile.

"Will that be all, Mr Stark?"

"That will be all, Miss Potts."

* * *

The apartment is relatively small but it is definitely an improvement from the trailer that Loki was hiding in for some time. He got this place about a week ago, leaving New Mexico far behind even though Thor assured him it was safe to stay there. The background of a small town was more than a little inconvenient for Loki since he would have been easily noticed there by the locals. So after two weeks of sneaking invisible in and out of his borrowed 'quarters' he opted for a big city instead and left. But not without telling Thor where he was going. He is still wondering if that was wise.

Loki has not planned to stay here for long, though he still has no idea where in the Nine Realms he would go, but the situation changed. Oh, how much it changed, he still has trouble believing it as he sits on the couch in his living room/kitchen and stares at the blank tv screen. He has to contemplate his next step carefully, he must not do anything rash. Like killing the mortal, which might break the spell but it may just as well not and besides, even thinking about that makes cold dread clench at his stomach and that in turn makes him more furious with the situation.

If the situation was ideal the best course of action would be to begin the research of the spell in Asgard's libraries but that would equal to suicide now. This leaves him the options of Alfheim and Vanaheim though he is not sure how welcome he would be there as well. But there is not much to choose from so he will have to take the risk and it will be better than sitting here wallowing in his misery anyway.

Loki gets up and walks over to the window. Despite the early hour there are already some cars in the street below him, bringing people to work like every other morning. He knows from just the week he has spent in London that in an hour the streets will be full of them, the mortals on their way to begin another day of their routine. He cannot help but think it must be very dull existence but at least they know what to do with their lives. Or maybe they don't but there is something for them anyway. Loki wonders if they ever feel like they are wasting their time, they should since they have so little of it. And now Loki is bound to one of them.

Well, it is no use pitying himself. He will depart for Alfheim and hope the news about him have not reached elves' ears yet.

* * *

"JARVIS, what the hell are these things?!" Tony shouts as he dodges yet another bolt of fire.

"I have no information on the origin of these creatures, though it appears that their abilities are magic-based."

"Really? I thought that huge-ass dogs on fire are the new number one pets in New York!" He narrowly misses getting his hand bitten off by one of the beasts and hits it in the neck with a repulsor blast in the next second. Not that it does that much damage.

"_Iron Man!"_ Steve's voice sounds in his ear. _"Please tell me you have something up your sleeve, the Widow and I had to retreat, we are useless against them, it's like bullets don't affect them at all! And Hawkeye will be out of explosive arrows any moment now!"_

"No such luck, Cap," Tony says as he dashes through the streets with three of the dog-like things on his tail. They have no idea where did those things come from, they just appeared, seven of them, in the streets of New York and started to tear apart everything around them, even each other. They don't look like anything Tony has seen before in real life, five feet tall with black bodies whose surface seems to somehow crack with each movement to reveal the core glowing like burning coal. There are clouds of black smoke surrounding them and obviously they have the ability to breathe fire. They simply look like something that belongs on a Balrog's front porch. Thor has already killed one of them and he also seems to know more about them but the Avengers did not exactly have the time to chat before they had to fight. "These puppies are tough, I can't do much damage but I can keep them entertained until Thor deals with the other three."

"_We can't just let them keep destroying the city."_

"Well, we have no choice." Tony takes a sharp turn upwards just before he hits a building. The three beasts are not so quick and they smash right through the wall making the house shake. "It's not like we know how to deal with them."

"_I don't like this one bit..."_

Tony frowns when the dogs don't run out of the building right away and he lowers himself a few feet along the side of it.

"No one likes- _Shit_!" he shouts when the wall beside him explodes as one of the beasts hurls through it. The next second its jaws are clasped around his thigh.

"_Tony? Tony, are you ok?"_

Tony falls to the ground and the dog is on him in an instant, clawing at every part of the suit it can reach, its teeth snapping too close to his face for comfort. The HUD is a mess of red warnings demanding his attention.

"Never been better! But I kind of have my hands full!" Literally, since he is now holding each of the huge jaws in one hand to stop them from biting his head off. "Not to be rude but we'll have to chat later."

"_Ok, be careful, Iron Man."_

"Sure thing. JARVIS, the unibeam."

"Of course, Sir."

The dog is thrown away like a rag doll and Tony staggers to his feet.

"Sir, the suit's mobility is at 60%, the damage to the right leg is critical. It will not withstand another blow like that."

"Peachy."

The beast got up by now and another one comes out of the building and they start circling around him, vicious growls coming through bared teeth.

"JARVIS, can we lift this up?"

"I would not advise it."

"Well, then it's a plan B," Tony says and starts shooting before they have a chance to leap at him.

It does not take a genius, and Tony is one, to figure out that the situation is not looking good for him. In fact he realizes he is in a deep shit barely seconds into the whole mess. They are forcing him back to the half demolished wall and he still does not know where the third one exactly is.

"Sir, I must inform you that the stability of the building behind you is severely disrupted, the damaged wall is likely to fall."

"Any other good news, JARVIS, or will that be all?!" Tony shouts as he tries to keep the two dogs at a safe distance since that is the only thing he can do. But maybe he could use the building to his advantage.

The lasers cut through the wall as if it was butter as he spins in a full circle. When he shoots to the air he really hopes he has cut those things in half. But when something latches onto his foot it is clear he has not. And he has barely time to curse before a few tons of concrete and metal crush him to the ground.

* * *

For a moment everything is black, meaning the HUD has gone dark but it comes back to life the next second. Tony is lying on his back, staring up at the sky though he does not really see it since the air is so full of dust it makes it completely opaque. He tries to get up and finds out he can't.

"JARVIS? Any reason why I can't move?"

"The right leg does not respond to any command, Sir. In addition some of the hydraulics systems were exposed in the first confrontation with one of the creatures and in consequence damaged by the falling debris. Some of the debris also got inside the suit and is now limiting your ability to move and you are currently covered by a considerable amount of concrete from your chest down including both of your arms."

"Are you trying to be sassy? It sounds like it." Tony is very much aware of the approximately thousand tons of material on top of him, it would be kind of hard not to notice.

"I would never dream of it, Sir."

Tony rests his head back on the pavement with a sigh. He will have to call for someone to dig him out, which is embarrassing since he is the one who is supposed to play the best solo.

There is a crushing sound and the whole pile of concrete seems to shake around him.

"No, no, no, no, no no no no no, JARVIS, tell me it's not what I think it is!" he groans and tries to get up in vain again.

"It appears your attackers have survived the collapse."

Tony is cursing even before the AI finishes the sentence. This is bad, really bad, in this position he has no means to defend himself. The suit is going to get squashed like a beer can when those monsters get their paws on it.

"JARVIS, I need to get up, now, how long till the unibeam is ready?" If he cannot lift the rubble he will just have to blast it away.

"Five minutes and forty three seconds."

That is too late. "Call Steve and tell him I'm in trouble," Tony says more calmly than he feels. He looks around for anything that might help him but what he finds makes his blood freeze.

"Already done, Sir."

Not even thirty feet to his right there are the dogs, all three of them, snapping their teeth and growling at each other. He cannot see them well through the dust filled air but it seems they have not noticed him yet. Maybe, just maybe they won't at least for as long as it takes for him to get up again, maybe he can still get out of this and somehow figure out what to do to get rid of those fuckers. But then a pair of burning eyes settles on him.

"Oh, boy..."

They are closing in on him slowly and he would lie if he said he is not scared.

"I should have gone with plan B. JARVIS! Fire up the repulsors, let's see if it can move me."

It moves him. By approximately an inch before the thruster in his left boot gives out. The nearest beast is now about ten feet away. He tries again and his right arm comes free but his new hope is crushed the next second when he can't lift it high enough to shoot. The dog prepares to launch at him. But it never does.

A bolt of green light strikes its side and the beast howls in pain. There is someone just out of his line of vision and the dogs are all growling and barking at them. They prepare to attack but the newcomer is quicker. Tony inhales sharply when he recognises him.

Loki. The god is a flurry of green, gold and black as he moves like a storm amidst the monsters. For a second Tony can only stare, too stunned to proceed what is in front of him. The first thing that truly hits him is that Loki wields no weapon but his arms are _burning_, enclosed in flames, and when he gets an opening the god grabs one set of huge jaws with his bare hands and pulls.

The sound is sickening but it server to bring Tony fully back to the reality.

"JARVIS, call the Cap."

"_Iron Man, are you ok? What-"_

"Loki's here," Tony cuts the other off.

"_Loki?! You mean he's behind this?"_

"No, Cap. He's just killed one of them and is-"

The scream of pain makes his blood freeze. Loki is down on his knees, his right arm is being crushed in the maw of one of the creatures and in a second the other one sinks its teeth into the god's side and another scream cuts through the air.

"Loki!"

"_Tony?! What happened?"_

They are tearing him apart. Something painful he does not want to identify clenches in Tony's chest mixed with cold dread. He knows he has to do something, anything.

"_Tony!"_

"JARVIS! The unibeam!"

"Three minutes and fifteen seconds, Sir."

"Shit!" Tony struggles to move but it is clear it will not help. Through the dust filled air he can just make out Loki trying to get the dogs off of him to no avail.

And then the scene explodes with light.

* * *

The detonation, or whatever it was, leaves Tony dizzy but on the plus side he can move now, to an extent.

"Jesus...," he groans as soon as he can tell up from down again. Then the reality rushes back to him together with JARVIS' voice in his ear. "Loki," he mumbles and blinks to clear his vision.

"Sir, you appear to have suffered a mild concussion."

"Have I? Where's Loki." He turns to the centre of the explosion to be faced with the edge of a decent sized crater.

"I am not able to tell from the available information."

Tony curses. He realizes that the panic he feels should not be there. Or that the mind numbing worry is not natural but he does not give a damn at the moment, he has to make sure Loki is all right. He tries to stand up but the attempt has been a naive one from the start since one of his suit's legs is not working at all. Well, if he has to crawl there so be it.

It is a slow and tedious trip and by the time he reaches the crater his muscles are burning with strain and his head is spinning lightly. JARVIS wasn't joking about the concussion then. But that does not matter. What matters is Loki, lying motionless in the centre of the destruction. It takes an effort to tear his eyes away but when he does he notices the corpses of the dogs a small distance away. At least those he does not have to worry about anymore.

"JARVIS, get me out of the suit."

He stumbles quite a few times on his way down the slope but he is at Loki's side in almost no time. He falls to his knees, not caring for the rubble digging into his skin, to check the god's vitals and sighs in relief when he finds steady pulse at his neck. If he needed any further proof of the spell then there he has it, damn, his hands are actually _trembling_ when he runs them through his hair. But there is no time for that, Loki is bleeding rather profusely and god or not that is not something one just brushes off. So Tony sets to work though he really can't do much besides tie a leather strap from Loki's armour around his upper arm and apply pressure on his side. It helps a bit.

Tony pulls his phone from his pocket and orders JARVIS to call Steve from the suit and ask for medical help. He hopes they will come quickly though he cannot help but wonder what will happen to Loki then.

* * *

**AN: **I will say that I'm sorry for the long wait because I really am. I had some things to do, another story to write and a cosplay to make (which I didn't finish in time anyway). Excuses, excuses, but at least this chapter is a bit longer.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter and if you did don't forget to tell me in a review. If you didn't then you can tell me why so I can possibly do something about it in the next one. Just review please :)

Thanks for reading.


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